Game apparatus



5 Sheets-Sheet l vls'rm TAM ./h/Qfl A. B. LE MAY GAME APPARATUS FiledMayls, 1940 Oct. 28, 1941.

gz l

QUARTER 0I OZ A. B. LE MAY GAME APPARATUS Oct. 28, 1941.

L v Filed May 18, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 www Oct. 28, 1941.

r'iledl May 18, '.1940

lA. B. A| 'E MAY A GAME'APPRATUS I 5 sheets-sheet. 3

oct. z8,l 1941.

Filed May 18, 1940 A. B. LE MAY GAME APPARATUS 5 sheets-sheet 4 Oct. 28,1941. A. B. LE MAY 2,260,467

GAME APPARATUS Filed May 18, 1940 5 sheets-Sheet 5 f5 l 3 f PatentedOct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUS Alan B. Le May,Beverly Hills, Calif.

Application May 18, 1940, Serial No. 336,051

9 Claims.

This invention relates to game apparatus for simulating games such asfootball, baseball, and the like, or races and other contests whereintwo or more players may use their skill as well as chance in attemptingto win'.

The primary object of the invention is to provide apparatus wherein theplayers may select cards simulating a desired play in a game, bringthese selected cards into superposed relation, and then progressivelyanimate the combination of plays by gradually admitting light throughthe cards to show the results.

For the purpose of illustration, apparatus is shown for simulating afootball game, and such apparatus may be used in connection with a chartrepresenting a football field upon whichl the progress of the ball maybe registered. In playing such a game the player, whose team is inpossession of the ball, selects an offensive-play which he thinks wouldbe most likely to succeed under the conditions shown by the position ofthe ball on the chart. The player of the opposing team decides what sortof an offensive-play may be expected and selects from his pack of cardsa defensive-play that he thinks is most likely to stop the expectedoffensive-play. The two cards are then placed in superposedrelation'over a light-screen and the players do not know the success orfailure of the play until the light-screen is gradually moved to permitlight to pass through the two cards and show the path of the ball andhow far it progressed against the defence.

Preferably, the offensive-play card is placed on top and has atranslucent cover sheet secured to an underlying sheet having cut-outportions which will admit light through the cover sheet when the screenis removed. The cover sheet may be decorated with figures representingeleven men on each team.

The defensive-play card has cut-out areas which are preferablytransparent and will register with at least part of the cut-out portionsof any offensive-play card. If desired, a window of colored, translucentor transparent, material may be provided for certain areas of thedefensive card so that with certain plays a colored light will showthrough the top card, one color indicating a fumble or incomplete pass,and another indicating a completed pass, touchdown, or the like.

In order to provide a game of real educational value, all of theoffensive and defensive plays, represented on the cards, have beenworked out by football experts, and by using a table of probabilities,the offense can be properly balanced against the defense.

The invention is illustrated in preferred em' bodiments, in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a irontelevational view ofa'machine embodying the invention; Figure 2, a plan View of a chart orplat representing a football field on which the progress of the game maybe registered; Figure 3, a rear relevational view of the device`illustrated in Figure 1 with the back panel of the device removed;Figure 4, a vertical sectional view, taken as indicated at line 4 ofFigure 3; Figure 5, an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing anautomatic electrical switch for controlling the lights within thecasing; Figure 6, a View similar to Figure 5 but showing how the switchis manually thrown to open position;

Figure '7, a fragmentary sectional view, taken asl indicated at line Iof Figure 6; Figure 8, a fragmentary plan view `of the top of one of theoffen-- sive-play cards; Figure 9, a fragmentary rear view of the `cardillustrated in Figure -8; Figure' Figure l5, a fragmentary sectionalview, taken as indicated at line I5 of Figure 13.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-12,

inclusive, A designates a casing for holding a pair of cards selectedfor a particular play and containing apparatus for progressivelyrevealing the results of the play; B, movable light-screen apparatusmounted in the casing'A; C, an electric switch for controlling thelights within the casing; D, offensive-play cards; and E, defensiveplaycards.

The casing A may be of any suitable construction and is shown providedwith a base I 5 having a removable back panel I1 and a window in itsfront face which preferably is provided with a curved glass panel I8over which the light-screen may be moved. A groove I9 is provided at thelower edge of the window to receive the marginal edge portions of a pairof playing cards which may be bent around the glass i8 between theguides I9@ and held at their top portions by means of a hinged clip 29which is urged into gripping position by means of springs 20a. The clipmay be provided with a finger piece or handle 20h. As best shown inFigure 1, the front of the casing may be provided with suitable counters2| to register the progress of the game.

The light-screen apparatus in this form of the invention comprises anendless belt 22 having substantially opaque Iportions 22a andtransparent or translucent light admitting portions 22b. As best shownin Figure 12, the front of the lightadmitting portion is preferablyV-shaped, as indicated at 22C, so that when the belt is moved downwardlyover the window I8, light will first be admitted at the central portion.As in football,

the ball is always4 snapped from center, thisV arrangement enables thepath of light through the cards to start at center and the ball shown,bythe path of light, as traveling laterally and backwardly in the firststages of the play.

The belt 22 is shown looped over a top'idler roll 23, having a centrallydisposed groove 23a, and down over a driving roll 24 which makes drivingengagement with the belt. The rolls 23 and 24 are journalled in a frame25 inthe casing A and preferably the lower roll 24 is provided with acrank shaft 24a provided with a crank 24h which has ratchet teeth sothat the belt may only be advanced down over the window 8.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a pair of electric llight bulbs 26 isconnected in parallel with a window I8.

The switch C is'designed to turn on the light automatically when aperforation 22d in the belt 22 passes over the groove 23a in the roll 23and permits a weighted member 28 to press downwardly on a pivotedcontact member 29 and close the circuit with the contact membery 30. Asthe member 29 is also weighted, it will remain in the closed circuitposition shown in Figure after the member 28 is again raised by theforward movement of the belt 22. However, the clip member 20 has arearwardly extending arm 20c which, when the clip is raised to theposition shown in Figure 6, will press down an arm 29a, as shown inFigure 6, and open the circuit. .This action occurs whenever the clipmember is raised to insert new cards. In other words, the light will beturned oil` manually in the act of changing the cards but will be turnedon again automatically by the belt 22 when the belt is advanced toproper position. This insures the development of the play to be shownprogressively as the light-screen belt advances at the proper time.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the offensive cards D have a translucentcover sheet 3| on which a pair of opposed football teams may be shown.An underlying opaque card 32 has cut-out portions 32a which are onlyvisible through the cover sheet when light is admitted through the card.Preferably, the cards are secured together and enclosed in a transparentenvelope 33 for protection and wear. As shown in Figure 9, the cut-outportions may have enlarged circles and in these `circles numbers 3|a maybe printed in reverse on the inner side of the cover sheet 3| toindicate the number of yards gained or lost in a particular play.

'A defensive card is illustrated in Figure 10, and comprises a card 34,having large cut-out areas 34a, which will register in part with thecut-out portions in any of the offensive-play cards D. Thus it will beunderstoodr that the success of the offensive-play depends largely uponwhat defensive-play is selected by the other player. If desired, aportion of the cut-outs may be covered with colored windows 34h which,in some sition of the ball on the field. This member mayA be providedwith numbers to indicate the down being played. A ten-yard marker,indicated yat 38, may have pin points to stick into the chart 35 andindicate the yardage required for a first down.

It will be understood that the usual football rules will be observed andthe players of the game represent the quarterbacks on the team. In ac-`tual tests, it has been found that experienced football players have anadvantage over inexperienced players and the game has educational valuein training quarterbacks as to how to meet a particular situation.

In Figures 13-15,inclusive, a simplified form of casing has beenillustrated for utilizing the same cards and playing the game with achart of the type shown in Figure 2. A simple form y of sheet metalcasing 40 may be mounted on av base 4| and is divided into a lightcompartment 42 and a card-storage compartment 43 by means of alight-reflecting partition 44. The casing isv provided with a glass top45 upon which may be rested the playing c-ards D `and E in guides 46. Anopaque slide 41 is mounted in guides 48 beneath the glass 45 and may bepulled back by means of a handle 48 to permitlight from bulb. 50 toshine through the glass top and portions` of the cards D and E. Thelight-screen slide may also be provided with a V-shaped notch 41a forthe reasons explained above.

ln using the latter form of device, the selected cards are placed in theslides 46 and the slide is slowly drawn back by means of the handle 491to show the progressive development of the play resulting from thecombination of the cards. After the results of the play have beenregistered on the chart, the slide is returned to the position shown inFigure 13 and a newpair of selected cards are substituted.

The foregoing detailed description has been given by clearness ofunderstanding only, and

no unnecessary limitations should be understoodV therefrom for somemodifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim: 1. Game apparatus comprising: a movable light-screen havingopaque portions; and a pair of selected cards adapted to be placedtemporarily in superposed relation with respect to said screen todetermine a combined play, the upper card having opaque portions andtranslucent portionsA to indicate a desired line of play, the lower cardhaving opaque portions and light-admitting por-` tions adapted toregister with part of the translucent portions of the upper card wherebywithdrawal of the underlying light-screen will ,indicate progressively,by a path of light through thel registered translucent portions of bothcards, the predetermined relative action of the play.

2. Apparatus as specied in claim 1, in which the part of thelight-admitting portion of the lower card has a colored window to admitcolored light through the registering translucent portion of the uppercard when the light-screen is withdrawn. y

3. Apparatus as specied in claim l, in which the movable light-screen isprovided with a large V-shaped opening disposed so that when the opaqueportion of the screen is withdrawn from beneath the superposed cards, inthe general direction of the desired play, light will first be admittedthrough the central portion of the cards.

4. Game apparatus, adapted for use with a chart representing a footballeld, comprising: a light-screen having opaque portions andlightadmitting portions; a pack of cards, each having a translucentportion to indicate the path of travel of a football in a particularoffensiveplay; a second pack of defensive-play cards, each having alight-admitting area adapted to register with part of the translucentportion of any of the cards in said rst pack when one card from eachpack is placed in superposed relation with respect to said screen; andmeans for moving the opaque portion of said light-screen to indicateprogressively, by a path of light through the registering lightadmitting areas of the selected cards, the action and results of theplay.

5. Apparatus as specied in claim 4, in which the light-screen is a flat,opaque card having a V-shaped notch in its rear end portion.

6. Apparatus as specified in claim 4, in which the light-screen is inthe form of an endless belt and a source of articial light is placedWithin said belt.

'7. Game apparatus comprising: a withdrawal light-screen having opaqueportions, said screen being positioned to shield a source of light; alower sheet adapted to be placed over said lightscreen, said sheethaving op-aque portions and normally concealed translucent portions toindicate a desired line of play; and an upper sheet adapted to besuperposed on said lower sheet, said upper sheet having translucentportions and being marked to indicate stoppages of certain lines of playwhereby withdrawal of the underlying light-screen from over a source oflight will indicate progressively, by a path of light projected throughthe translucent portions of both sheets, the extent of the play.

8. Game apparatus comprising: a box-like casing containing an electriclight and having a top portion through which light may pass; a lightscreen slidably mounted at the top of said box, said screen havingopaque portions; a lower sheet adapted to be placed on said casing oversaid light screen, said sheet having opaque portions and normallyconcealed translucent portions to indicate a desired line of play; andan upper sheet having translucent portions and being marked to indicatestoppages of certain lines of play whereby gradual withdrawal of thelightscreen from the superposed sheets will indicate progressively, by apath of light through the upper sheet, projected through the concealedtranslucent portions of the lower sheet, the direction and extent of thepredetermined play.

9. Apparatus as specified in claim 8, in which the light-screencomprises a flat stiff sheet of cardboard provided at one end with alarge V- shaped notch.

ALAN B. LE MAY.

